How to debug ROOT - tools

ROOT
1

Since the code is getting longer and longer, I am interested how I can do proper debugging.

What I have learnt so far is:

ROOT debug:
root.cern.ch/phpBB2/viewtopic.ph … ight=debug

Valgrind:
valgrind.org/

GDB:
muenster.de/~naumana/rootgdb.html

Compiling ROOT in debug mode worked wonders, since I was able to trace a segmentation fault to a specific line (function name + function line).

Valgrind is as far as I know recommend for the search of memory leaks:
proved useful while using CMSSW.

I followed the How To on gbd but every time I attached gdb to the ROOT process it froze.

However, I would like to debug my ROOT applications/analysis code properly:
Setting break points and viewing the values of the variables at them.
(and of course preferably do it in a GUI)

So my question is:
What are you using to debug your ROOT code?
Are there free (or commercial) tools out there which can make my life easier?

I am also interested if there is a possibility to include ROOT libraries/header files in your code and then compile it as a stand alone application with ROOT integrated (Discussion here), but it seems it is not the case.

For ‘normal’ C++ code there are plenty of tools out there.

BTW: I’m currently working with Eclipse, but would switch if there is something better.

2

It is likely that you do

gdb root instead of

gdb root.exe
Rene

3

It is likely that you do

gdb root instead of

gdb root.exe
Rene[/quote]

My mistake. Attaching it to the root.exe process works. I was a bit confused since it is described for windows.
Now I just have to learn how to use it ROOT + (gdb + eclipse).

4

Qt-Creator can be quite a useful tool for interactive debugging.

By the way, with the CMake new build system, I guess one needs to specify
-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="Debug" to get full debug info. See Building ROOT from source - ROOT